excerpt

"We who spend the bulk of our lives in densely populated cities know virtually nothing [...] of those who inhabit [...] villages. We have joined the tide of modern civilization, coming to forget the philosophy of that lovely, simple life filled with purity and goodness. Whenever we contemplate that life, we fint it radiant in the springtime, heavy laden in the summmer, fruitful in the fall, cozy in the winter. It resembles Mother Nature in all her phases. We exceed the villagers in our wealth, but they are more noble than we in our souls; we sow much to reap nothing, while they harvest whatever they sow. We are slaves to our ambitions, while they are children of their contentment. We imbibe the elixir of life mixed with bitterness, despair, fear, and ennui, whereas they drink it pure."

- from Marta Al-Baniyah, Kahlil Gibran

*this almost perfectly describes the enmity i feel in me, which exists, i feel, in many of us citizens of rich, advanced, developed nations... god help us all.*

[mood: fatalistic]